Arnold Schwarzenegger backing out of 'The Apprentice'

Arnold Schwarzenegger will not return to the boardroom as host of "The Apprentice," the actor and former governor of California said in an interview with Empire.

Schwarzenegger blamed President Donald Trump's involvement in the show both as an executive producer and his vocal criticism of the program as the primary reason for the show's failing ratings.

"It's not about the show," he explained to Empire Online, "because everyone I ran into came up to me and said 'I love the show... but I turned it off because as soon as I read Trump's name I'm outta there!'"

When "The New Celebrity Apprentice" ended its season last month, Trump tweeted that Schwarzenegger "did a really bad job as governor of California and even worse on The Apprentice, but at least he tried hard."

NBC had no immediate comment about whether the show would return with a new host.